The automated processing works perfectly in combination with other WebGrid's key features such as non-pagepostback processing, server-side custom event processing, automated data caching, and many others. As of other key features, WebGrid also provides the ability to turn off automatic processing and write your own custom's code. This provides full customization to fit many business requirements.
New VirtualLoad™ paging concept
The new paging concept is born to replace rigid, slow and uneffective traditional paging mode. Basically, developers limit rows size that rendered to client to save bandwidth and server's resources in a web applications. That works, but it isn't a good solution at all since that only a few data can be displayed at the same time. So, if users go to page 2 or page 3, they will still see a number of 10 or 20 rows. This becomes unfeasible for high productive web applications which require more effective, intuitive and more data to be displayed at the same time as users seeking information, while minimizing server's bandwidth and resources. The VirtualLoad™ paging concept, is an unique feature that enables more data to be retrieved from server transparently and virtually as users scroll the data forward. The newly retrieved rows wouldn't affect previous retrieved rows, resulting in more information to be displayed in one central place, inside the WebGrid. As of other key features, the VirtualLoad paging feature also works in conjuction with all other key's features such as automatic data caching and processing.
Automatic data caching handler
A built-in data caching mechanism to reduce server workloads and improve server performance. The handler has been tested to produce a faster server response and includes the ability to keep or remove unused cache for each WebGrid instance. The automated data caching is an integral part of common architecture. It works by saving the data source in a temporary cache and automatically expires when it is no longer used. The cached data source is stored as compact, lightweight xml-based format to minimize the server's resources as much as possible.
Advanced LoadOnDemand mechanism
The feature work in conjuction with Hierarchical grid mode and automatic
data processing feature. With efficiency and scalability in mind, child
rows data of its parent row will not be rendered to client on each loaded
Table. The child rows of a Table will be retrieved transparently when
users click on + sign to expand the child rows. This results in efficient
information delivery by displaying necessary information and load more
information transparently once needed, all without leaving the working
page's state.
Automatic layout
This unique feature allows WebGrid to be displayed in maximum space to fit current browser's size. The WebGrid will automatically calculate its width and height to fit the browser's size and reacts properly on browser's resize and UI element layout's changes within the WebGrid. This enables developers to create resolution-independent web applications with consistent layout throughout all WebGrid's UI elements. The feature has also been optimized to take very minimal CPU process and intelligently respond only when the UI element in WebGrid or the browser's size has changed. For instance, when you show or hide GroupBox object, you can notice the smooth and fast changes to the scrollable contents to fit the new height size.
Centralized LayoutSettings
LayoutSettings which is a common object for all Intersoft's components, used as centralized repository for all properties and settings that control the appearance, look & feel and behavior of the components. As of other Intersoft's components, WebGrid.NET allow all UI Elements' styles to be customized. Developers can change the styles by either directly by using the provided style properties or control the WebGrid's appearance globally by specifying CSS class name.
Common GUI Behavior
Implements all standard Windows UI behaviors for navigation, selection and control focus. Use the keyboard to navigate rows, cells, groups and child rows. Use tab to switch between input's elements and use the mousewheel to scroll along the rows.
Common Architecture
Implements a common control architecture for improved understanding and for developers when integrating Intersoft components. The architecture contains ClientEvents object that provides the ability to customize the events on the client side and shares a single common subfolder.
Complete server-side event handler
While many of the WebGrid's built-in automated features will fit most of business solutions, eventually developers will need the ability to customize and write their own processing codes to respond to client's request. WebGrid.NET provides custom server side event handler such as OnInitializeDataSource, OnInitializeRow, OnCustomSort and so on.
Single Interface Designer and Layout Manager for Visual Studio.NET
Design-time environment
WebGrid.NET provides comprehensive design time support for Visual Studio.NET design-time environment including a single interface designer and layout manager. The single interface designer concept is an unique designer feature in which all WebGrid's objects can be viewed hierarchically and each object's properties can be configured with ease. The designer acts as a central repository which developers can add objects, change objects' order or remove objects. The designer also includes facilities to automatically retrieves Table's structure based on assigned DataSource and DataMember. It can even retrieves Hierarchical Table's structure when the DataSource contains relationship members.
The Layout Manager provides a centralized repository for all layout-related definitions. It gives developers an easy and fast method to apply predefined layout settings. Developers can save most commonly used layout to a file which will appear in Custom Layout, and then later applying it to other WebGrid instances.
Visual Studio.NET 2003 Designer support.
WebGrid.NET has been tested and work perfectly in Visual Studio.NET 2003 design-time environment. The WebGrid.NET also supports and fully compatible with Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1.
Unbound mode.
While the primary function of WebGrid is to display information retrieved from a data source, it is possible to use WebGrid in unbound mode to display static columns and rows item. WebGrid.NET provides complete object model for adding rows, columns, cells, dynamically at runtime.
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